Thursday, October 13, 2016

Weekend With The Pioneers

This weekend, BU embarks on a two game trip to the Rocky Mountains to face the Denver Pioneers, the team that ended BU’s season in the West Regional in St. Paul last year.
From The Vault
Matt Lane rips off a shot in the second period of last year's
West Regional meeting between the Terriers and Pioneers
(Photo by Matt Dresens)
The Pioneers stumbled out of the gate last weekend in the Icebreaker Invitational. As tournament hosts, Denver lost both games and finished fourth. On opening night, DU lost 3-2 to Ohio State and then fell 3-1 to Boston College in the consolation game.

To add injury to insult, the Pioneers lost one of their top players in the process. Dylan Gambell suffered an upper body injury during the Icebreaker and will miss four to six weeks. Gambrell was second on the team in scoring as a freshman a year ago, posting 47 points, including a goal and an assist vs in two games against BU.

Scouting The Pioneers
Denver was ranked 3rd in the pre season USCHO poll and have since slipped to 10th. Denver lost two huge components to their team from 2016 that made it to the Frozen Four in Tampa. Danton Heinen (now with the Bruins) and Trevor Moore racked up a combined 92 points last year.

The good news for Denver is that Will Butcher returned for his senior year. Butcher, a 5th round pick by Colorado in 2013 posted 9 goals and 23 assists from the point in 2016. He scored once last weekend as well. In last year’s meeting at Agganis, Butcher notched a goal and two assist in a 6-5 overtime loss. Butcher’s first of two goals in the NCAA tournament last March against the Terriers proved to be the game winner.

Other players to watch include Troy Terry, Henrik Borgstöm and Liam Finlay.

In goal, BU will probably see both Evan Cowley and Tanner Jaillet. The two split the Icebreaker games already this season. Last year, Jaillet went 17-5-5 with a 2.27 goals against and a .922 save percentage. He did allow 3 goals on 18 shots to BU last Halloween and was yanked after 27:09 of action. Cowley was 8-5-1 in 2016 with a .929svp and a 2.07GAA.

BU Notes.
Coach Quinn said earlier this week that both Ryan Cloonan and Chase Phelps “are available” this weekend.

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